"Next stop—!" Oak town
The doors burst open, and people flooded out.
Yaman stepped out with them, yawning as he stretched his arms.
"…Tch."
He scratched the back of his head.
"Didn't sleep at all…"
Grrr…
He froze.
Looked down.
"…Yeah. That too."
Hunger.
A minute later, he was sitting on a bench, devouring a meat sandwich.
Big bite.
Another.
"…First guild, huh…"
He leaned back slightly, chewing.
"Wonder if there's some kind of test…"
A pause.
Then a grin.
"…Doesn't matter."
He stood up, finishing the last bite.
"I'll crush it anyway."
Directions to Power
At the station desk, a young woman greeted him warmly.
"Welcome! If you'd like, we also have tourist—"
"I'm not here for sightseeing."
She blinked.
"…Then?"
"I'm looking for Phantom Lord."
"Oh."
She pointed outside.
"Up the mountain. Just go straight."
"…Got it."
The Castle Above
Yaman stepped into the city—
And stopped.
"…Old school…"
Stone streets. Towering buildings.
Like something out of a story.
Then—
He looked up.
A massive castle stood on the mountain.
Flags waving.
Dominating everything below.
Yaman smirked.
"…No doubt."
He started walking.
Watching people.
Listening.
Observing.
For a moment—
He almost enjoyed it.
Then—
Drip.
"…Huh?"
Drip… drip…
Rain.
Yaman's face twisted immediately.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
He pulled his hood up.
"I hate winter. I swear—"
"…Drip… drop…"
He stopped.
"…What?"
He turned.
There she was.
A girl.
Blue hair. Pale skin.
Holding an umbrella.
Muttering softly to herself.
"…Drip… drop…"
Yaman stared.
"…Hey."
No response.
"…Can you stop the rain?"
Silence.
"…Drip… drop…"
His eyebrow twitched.
"I said stop it!"
Still nothing.
Yaman exhaled sharply.
"…Yeah. Definitely weird."
He waved his hand dismissively and walked past her.
Behind him—
Her eyes followed.
"…Juvia… noticed…"
The massive gates creaked open.
Yaman stepped inside the hall of .
Dark.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
And then—
Silence.
Every eye turned toward him.
Sharp.
Cold.
Hungry.
Yaman cracked his neck.
"…What?"
No fear.
No hesitation.
"…You gonna keep staring, or what?"
A few chuckles.
Some annoyed looks.
Then—
A voice echoed.
"Juvia… you've returned."
Yaman glanced back.
The same girl walked in quietly.
"…Mission complete… Master Jose…"
From the shadows—
A figure stepped forward.
Tall.
Thin.
Dark aura.
.
His eyes locked onto Yaman instantly.
"…And what have we here?"
Juvia lowered her head.
"…Juvia did not bring him…"
Yaman scoffed.
"I came on my own."
Jose smiled faintly.
"…Good."
A step closer.
"…Then speak."
Silence.
Yaman stepped forward.
Straight to the point.
"I want in."
BOOM.
The room reacted.
"—Huh?!"
"—Kid's got guts…"
"—He serious?!"
Jose chuckled.
"…Bold."
A pause.
"…Show me."
Yaman raised his hand.
A magic circle ignited—
Dark red.
Edges burning black.
Then—
WHOOSH!!
Magma burst out violently.
Heat exploded across the room.
"—Hot!!"
"—What the hell is that?!"
Some members stepped back instinctively.
Jose's eyes gleamed.
"…Now that… is interesting."
A pause.
Then—
"…Still not enough."
Silence.
Yaman's expression sharpened.
"…Excuse me?"
Jose smirked.
"If power alone was enough… this place would be full of fools."
Yaman clicked his tongue.
"…Then what?"
Jose's smile widened.
"Entertainment."
He raised his hand.
"Gajeel."
CRASH!!
A figure dropped from above, landing heavily.
Cracks spread on the ground.
A boy.
Same age.
Piercings across his face.
Savage grin.
.
"Gi-hi… Gi-hi-hi…!"
He looked at Yaman like prey.
"…This your test?"
Yaman stared back.
Calm.
Unimpressed.
"…You talk too much."
The guild went silent.
Then—
"OOOH—!!"
Gajeel's grin widened.
"…I like you."
A step forward.
"…I'll break you slowly."
Yaman smirked.
"…Try."
A beat.
"…I'll shove your teeth down your throat."
"GIII-HI-HI-HI!!"
Jose raised his hand.
"Courtyard."
⚔️ The Arena
The doors burst open.
Rain pouring harder now.
Thunder rumbling.
The entire guild gathered outside.
Excitement rising.
"—New kid's dead."
"—Gajeel's gonna crush him!"
"—This is gonna be good!"
Yaman stepped forward.
Magma flickering in his hand.
Gajeel cracked his knuckles—
Metal scraping against metal.
"Gi-hi…"
"…Don't die too fast."
Yaman tilted his head slightly.
"…Same to you."
Lightning flashed.
Rain fell harder.
Two monsters faced each other.
And then—
Silence.
Rain lashed the courtyard.
Water splashed across the cracked stone, and steam rose from the heat-scorched patches.
The Phantom Lords formed a tight circle around the arena—low voices, sharp eyes, waiting.
In the center —
José Borla stood among the fighters, his hands clasped behind his back, smiling like a man about to enjoy himself.
---
At the edge of the crowd, a boy with long, black-and-white parted hair leaned toward the blue-haired girl beside him.
"Jovia… who do you think will win, Gajeel… or that newcomer?"
---
Jovia Lucar kept her eyes on the ring, her voice low and distant.
"...Jovia doesn't know, Totomaro..."
Silence. Rain fell gently on her umbrella.
"...But Juvia thinks...Gajeel will win."
Then, in a lower voice—
"...Even so...Jovia hopes the newcomer will survive."
-
Behind them, a tall man suddenly burst into tears.
"Boo!"
-
Totomaro frowned.
"...Shut up, Arya."
-
⚔️ The Match
Silence fell.
Even the rain seemed calmer.
-
Gajeel smiled, a sharp, hard smile.
"Ji-hee...don't die so fast."
He shrugged, a faint metallic scrape coming from his shoulder.
"I'll show you what it means...to join the Ghost Lord."
Yaman sighed slowly.
"...You talk too much."
He raised his eyes calmly and steadily.
"Can you prove it?"
"J-hee-hee!!"
Gajeel laughed...
Then he stopped.
He leaned forward slightly... and sniffed.
His expression changed.
"...You."
His voice dropped.
"...Are you a dragon slayer?"
Yaman didn't react.
"...What good would it do to know?"
A faint smile.
"...If I win... maybe I'll tell you."
Gajeel's gaze hardened.
Now he was serious.
-
José raised his hand.
"The rules."
His voice cut through the rain.
-
"If Gajeel wins... you won't join."
A faint smile.
"...You'll become a servant of the Ghost Lord."
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
--
"But... if the boy... Yaman wins..."
He took a step back, amused.
"...he'll join as a member."
-
Silence.
-
"Start."
Gajeel moved first.
—Boom!!
The ground cracked beneath his feet as he sprinted forward, his arm transforming into a jagged iron blade.
"Ji-hee!!"
He swung—
---
Whoosh!!
---
Lava erupted.
Not from Yaman's hand—
From his body.
Like a living thing.
---
Steam shot upward as the rain collided with the heat.
The air was distorted.
---
Gajeel's instincts screamed.
---
He leaped backward—away.
He landed more than fifty meters away.
---
Still—
"...Hot...!"
--
Yaman tilted his head slightly.
"...So I noticed."
Lava oozed from his arm like molten blood.
--
"You rely on instinct, not intelligence."
A step forward.
"That's a talent."
--
His eyes hardened.
"But it won't save you."
--
"My element is stronger."
Another step.
"If you come any closer...your iron will melt."
--
Silence.
--
"You've lost."
--
For a moment—
Gajil didn't move.
--
Then—
He smiled.
--
"Ge...heh..."
"...So I won't come any closer."
-
He took a step back.
He inhaled. Deeply.
-
Then—
"The Iron Dragon Roars!!"
-
A storm of iron shards erupted from his mouth—violent, penetrating, unstoppable.
-
Yaman's eyes widened.
"...!"
-
Move—
Too late.
-
Bam!!
--
The attack slammed into him, hurling his body against the distant wall with tremendous force.
-
The crowd roared.
"That's Gajeel!"
"He's finished!"
-
José smiled faintly.
"...Good."
-
🩸 Pressure
Dust tumbled.
Silence returned.
--
Yaman stood.
Slowly.
Blood trickled down his face, mingling with the rain.
--
Gajeel stepped forward, smiling.
"Now I understand..."
He pointed at him.
"You're strong in close combat..."
A wider smile.
"...but you're weak at ranged combat."
-
Yaman didn't say a word.
But his grip tightened.
--
...He's right.
--
He didn't have a ranged fighting style.
--
"Iron Dragon Spear!!"
--
Steel spears shot forward like projectiles.
--
"Tch!"
--
Yaman dodged—
some of them.
--
But others hit him.
--
Gasps opened on his arms and side, and blood splattered on the wet stone.
--
He fell—
---
And at that moment—
---
Gajeel was there.
---
"Iron Dragon Hammer!!"
--
BOOM!!
-
The blow landed like a hammer.
Yaman's body flew through the air again, slamming to the ground.
--
Cheers erupted.
"It's over!" "Gajeel wins!"
-
Even Jose turned slightly, starting to feel bored.
"...disappointing."
-
💢 Crossed the red line
Gajeel approached slowly.
Sarcastically.
-
"Where's that confidence now?"
One step.
"You're all talk."
-
Then—
---
"...Your father must have been useless to send his puppy into this world."
-
Silence.
-
The rain intensified.
-
Yaman ducked.
--
Then—
---
Whoosh... ---
Gajil jumped backwards immediately.
--
Yaman stood up.
Covered in blood.
His eyes burned.
--
"...Don't."
His voice dropped.
Cold.
--
"Talk about it."
-
Take a deep breath.
-
Gagle freezes.
"...What are you doing?"
--
A deafening roar!!!
--
Lava erupts from Yaman's mouth—uncontrollable, destructive.
--
Gagle's eyes widen.
"...What?!"
--
He dodges...
With difficulty.
--
He's still...
His arm is on fire.
--
"Ah!"
--
He falls to the ground, staring at the wreckage.
Sweat begins to pour from him.
--
"...That technique..."
---
His voice turns serious.
---
"...You're a dragon slayer."
---
The arena is frozen.
-
"...A dragon slayer...?"
-
Whispers spread like wildfire.
Shock. Excitement. Fear.
-
Yaman didn't say a word.
-
He just smiled.
-
Then—
He moved.
-
He disappeared.
-
He suddenly reappeared in front of Gajeel.
-
"Lava Claw."
-
A deafening roar!!
-
The strike was powerful and precise.
Even through iron—
It hurt.
-
Gajeel backed away.
-
Before he could regain his balance—
---
Yaman was there again.
-
"Lava Fang!"
--
Another strike.
Even more powerful than before.
Faster.
-
Now—
The tide of battle had turned.
-
"Impossible..."
"Is Gajeel being pushed back?!"
-
Even José leaned forward slightly.
Attention returned.
Yaman took another deep breath.
-
Gajeel saw it.
"...not again—"
--
"The Roar of the Iron Dragon!!"
-
Yaman responded with a similar roar—
---
"The Roar of Lava!!"
-
Boo...--
Shock erupted.
-
José clapped slowly.
"...amazing."
A faint smile touched his face.
--
"The Ghost Lord welcomes you—"
---
But
José looked at the unconscious Gajeel with disappointment and disgust and said,
"If you weren't of any use, Gajeel, I would have banished you."
--
Yaman turned around.
He spat blood.
-
"...Tch."
-
His eyes shifted from Gajeel…
to Jose.
-
Disgust.
Obvious.
Unvarnished.
-
"...This place..."
Silence.
-
"...Corrupt."
-
Silence.
-
"He fought for you."
-
"...and you treat him like nothing."
-
He turned his back.
And started walking.
--
"I won't join a place like this."
-
"Yaman!"
Joss shouted.
-
"Where do you think you're going?!"
-
Yaman didn't stop.
-
"...A place of greater honor..."
---
A step forward.
The rain intensified.
---
"...from this disgusting place."
---
Then he left.
---